Solar power plan for Prius aircon

7 July 2008 10:43am

Toyota's ecological Prius petrol-electric hybrid will become even greener next year with solar-powered air conditioning on some high-end models, The Nikkei reported.

The solar panels on the roof of the new Prius model will provide two to five kilowatts of electricity, The Nikkei said.

Toyota plans to purchase the panels from Japanese electronics maker Kyocera, the newspaper added.

Toyota spokesman Paul Nolasco declined to comment, saying the company doesn't comment on product plans.

Sales of the Prius have been booming, thanks to soaring petrol prices and growing worries about global warming. A hybrid delivers better mileage by switching between a petrol-fuelled engine and an electric motor.

Toyota has made hybrid technology the pillar of its growth strategy, promising to deliver hybrids in every model in its line-up soon after 2020.

Toyota has sold more than a million Prius models over the past decade and is planning to sell a million hybrids a year sometime after 2010.

Toyota is also pursuing an aggressive strategy for ecological production by using solar panels and other technology at its plants.

Adding solar panels to a model targeting mass consumers would mark a first for a major car manufacturer, The Nikkei said.

© The Press Association